Barring an absolute miracle run, the story about the 2024-25 Notre Dame men’s basketball team appears to have been set. It’s a team with some talented players but one that cannot close the deal. The latest example was their 77-69 loss to Syracuse in a game they led by as much as 17.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman shares his emotions after the Irish's loss to Ohio State in the National Championship.

Notre Dame doesn’t look like an offensive powerhouse at first glance, as it averages just 75.2 ppg. However, that modest number is due in large part to a tepid pace of play that has the Irish looking to make more out of every possession rather than run and gun.